Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone has joined Sunderland and warned: I didn't leave their bench to to sit on YOUR bench.

The 25-year-old Italian has joined compatriot Paolo Di Canio on Wearside following the sale of Simon Mignolet to Liverpool.

Mannone, who joined Arsenal from Atalanta as a 17-year-old, has signed a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee, understood to be around £2million.

However, having made just 26 senior appearances in eight years with the Gunners, the former Italy Under-21 international wants regular football, and that means a battle with Republic of Ireland international KeirenWestwood.

He told the club's official website, www.safc.com: "Of course, every player knows they have competition.

"We live in a world of competition. I will work and do my best to be in the first eleven, and then the manager will decide.

"All I can do is try to show what I am capable of."

Both men have big boots to fill with Belgium international Mignolet having earned a £9million move to Liverpool with consistently excellent performances during his time at the Stadium of Light.

Westwood is desperate to regain his international place with Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni having turned to Millwall's David Forde because of his lack of club football, and that will provide him with an added incentive to make the most of Mignolet's departure.

However, Mannone is viewing his arrival on Wearside as a chance to fulfil the potential which persuaded Arsene Wenger to take him to north London, and he is confident Sunderland can give him the platform to do just that.

He said: "The potential [of the club] is incredible. I have come from a big club but to be honest, I don't see any difference in the facilities.

"From what I can see on my first day, they are brilliant. To have good facilities where you can work and improve is something every club wants to achieve.

"The base is there and I am really happy to be here. I waited a long time for an opportunity like Sunderland, and for me it is a great one.

Di Canio is making a concerted effort to substantially rebuild the squad he inherited from Martin O'Neill this summer and there will be further new arrivals before the season gets under way.

Le Havre full-back Benjamin Mendy is expected to complete his switch to Wearside later this week with club-mate El-Hadji Ba and Velez Sarsfield defender Gino Peruzzi also closing in on moves.

Di Canio has now turned his attention to the striking department, although there is still a significant amount of work to be done.

Sunderland have seen their initial bid for AZ Alkmaar frontman Jozy Altidore rejected, and they have been left in little doubt that they will have to come up with a significantly bigger offer if they are to succeed.

But having formally registered their interest, the Wearsiders are regarding the rejection as the first salvo in the battle to land a player identified some time ago as the man to freshen up their attacking options alongside Scotland international Steven Fletcher.

O'Neill invested £5million in Swansea's Danny Graham in an effort to address the problem, but he failed to score a single goal in his 13 appearances at the end of the campaign.

Stephane Sessegnon's future on Wearside remains uncertain amid speculation the club could cash in on him this summer, while Connor Wickham and Ji Dong-won are yet to prove they can do the job on a sustained basis.

Meanwhile, reports in Greece have claimed Sunderland have reached an agreement with Panathinaikos for the transfer of midfielder Charalampos Mavrias in a deal which could eventually amount to four million euros.